On eve of OnTrak acquisition closing, Lam execs foresee growth to $3B-$4B
09/01/1997
On eve of OnTrak acquisition closing, Lam execs foresee growth to $3B-$4B
With a formal closing in its acquisition of OnTrak Systems expected early last month, Lam Research is anticipating a surge in revenue over the next few years to the $3 billion to $4 billion level, based on existing strength in etch and growth in CVD and CMP.
While citing a "blackout period" around the acquisition as a reason for disclosing minimal information, Lam marketing VP George Canavan said during a SEMICON/West press conference that Lam intends to stake out a solid position among early adopters of advanced technologies like copper metallization and damascene interconnect methods. "We see copper and damascene coming in at 0.18 micron, though some are even looking at them for 0.25 micron," he noted. "They will transition to more companies at 0.13." The company unveiled a third-generation version of its TCP metal etch tool, the TCP 9600PTX, at SEMICON; designed for sub-0.25-micron use, the machine offers 10 percent better throughput, reduced footprint, and an integrated microwave stripper. Volume shipments were to begin in July.
After the merger, the entire OnTrak CMP engineering team will apparently move to a current Lam facility. While post-CMP-cleaning systems will continue to be manufactured, sold, and serviced by the OnTrak subsidiary, the transferred CMP engineering team, lead by former OnTrak executive VP Wilbur C. Krussell, will join Lam manufacturing, sales, and service personnel in handling the "Lam Aurora 4000" when it is released next year.
Jim Bagley, chairman and CEO of OnTrak, who will become CEO of Lam, said the company will begin demonstration polishing of 300 mm "soon," with customers bringing wafers in. Plans call for the Aurora 2000 CMP system to demonstrate a production-worthy linear polishing technology in the next few quarters, with shipments of its successor, the model 4000, to begin by the end of calendar 1998, and for Lam to be a major CMP player by early 1999. - P.N.D., E.K.